Australian comedian Akmal Saleh is the latest person to be impacted by the floods near Lismore.
Saleh and his wife Caite were driving to the airport for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival when they needed to be rescued from the floodwaters.
Saleh admitted to 3AW on Thursday that he was to blame for the situation.
“It didn’t even look that deep and it was my fault. I said ‘just keep driving, you’ll be fine, it’s not that deep’. She’s (Caite) going ‘no, no, no I think we’re going to be trapped’,” Saleh said.
“Then we drive and within three minutes the car is airborne and spinning around and water is coming right up almost to my chest in the car.”
When Saleh knew his wife had swum to safety, his attention quickly turned to saving an expensive new guitar in the back of the truck.
“I thought ‘I’d better save the guitar’, she (Caite) was very upset that I was less worried about her, but I knew she was fine,” he said.
“All the neighbours are coming out and we look like idiots. They‘re going ‘just let go of the guitar’ and I said ‘no, no’.”
Saleh has since touched down in Melbourne, taking the situation in his stride and with his usual sense of humour.
“If you live in a nice area you occasionally have to be prepared to swim to the airport or shops,” Saleh said.
“We live in a very biblical kind of place, but it’s very pretty when it’s not on fire or underwater.”
Fellow Australian comedian Wil Anderson, who lives in Mullumbimby, was not as lucky and is hoping the weather will clear up enough for him to be at the festival next week.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival started on Wednesday, with Salehxjmtzyw performing at the Athenaeum Theatre.
